Re: [amsat-bb] P3D information

[David Moisan <dmoisan@xxxxxxxxx>]

At 05:36 PM 10/10/2000 -0700, you wrote:
>
>Oh yes, members of Amsat-thirdworld are in a much better position to
>put up the multi-kilobuck towers, antenna arrays and rotors and to buy
>all the necessary transceivers and transverters needed to work Mode B
>than anyone in North America.

Let me wonder aloud for a moment.  American hams have a cherished belief
that those in the "third world" need to be uplifted, following the same
exact technological steps *they* used, namely, m---- c--- (deleted to avoid
the inevitable flame war.)  

People in these poorer nations are, well, "poor" and need "simple"
technology, so it goes.  There are just two problems:

One Phil pointed out:  Today's analog satellite technology is not "simple"
as such;  it is also not cheap.

The second problem is that most people in developing nations won't wait for
the First World to hand out technological goodies "when they're ready for
them";  they will take what's available.  Example:  Cell phones in China.
Lots of them.  And cell is, in fact, a very cost effective solution in a
place where wires are expensive and relatively few households in China own
a wired phone.  

In fact, cell phones may well be the best technology for a lot of
developing nations

I suspect the real problem in developing nations, from all I've read is not
know-how or intelligence in deploying "high-technology", it is money.  A
digital solution that *I* could deploy with fridge tubing, my PC and
assorted parts and software is also one that a *lot* of hams in "developing
countries" could deploy.  Remember also that these hams are part of the
elite where they are, at least a few steps above absolute poverty.

Rather than speculate, I'd like to hear from people who have *really*
worked and lived in a third-world country, who have practiced ham radio and
worked with the locals (not just in a contest sense.)  I suspect our
beliefs about this may be wrong.

Take care,

Dave


David Moisan, N1KGH   ARES/SKYWARN                dmoisan@shore.net
Invisible Disability:
http://www1.shore.net/~dmoisan/invisible_disability.html
ATS-909 FAQ:  http://www1.shore.net/~dmoisan/faqs/sangean/ats909faq.html

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